US elections: Georgia records record turnout as early voting begins

Georgia voters turned out in record numbers in early voting that began Tuesday for the United States presidential election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, state officials said.

At least 252,000 voters had cast ballots at early voting locations by 4 p.m. local time, nearly double the 136,000 who participated in the first day of early voting in the 2020 election, said Georgia elections official Gabriel Sterling. “Spectacular turnout,” he wrote on social media.

Early voting, whether in person or by mail, has become increasingly popular among U.S. voters. About 1 in 7 voters voted before Election Day in 2020, according to the University of Florida Election Lab.

However, many Republicans opposed the drastic expansion of voting by mail in 2020, saying it was less secure than in-person voting. Trump cited false claims of mail-in ballot fraud as he unsuccessfully tried to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 race.

Some Republicans continue to insist that voters should only be able to vote in person on Election Day, even though party officials are encouraging their supporters to vote early.

Nationwide, 5.5 million Americans have already voted this year, according to the Election Laboratory. On the other hand, 27 million people had already voted so far in the 2020 election, as voters tried to avoid crowded polling places during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Georgia has since tightened its mail-in voting laws, requiring voters who want to vote by mail to provide proof of identity and limiting the number of locations where they can drop off ballots.

Georgia is one of seven states expected to play a decisive role in this year’s election, the so-called swing states.

What is the Electoral College in US elections?

This content was originally published in US Elections: Georgia records record turnout at the start of early voting on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil

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